Our Speakers with short talk abstracts:

Speaker 1: Emily Conklin
Garbage wolves and friendly foxes: Domestication and DNA
The dog-human connection might be one of our best collaborations – how did we change dogs on a molecular level, and how might they have changed us? And what if we tried to do it again? Join us as we explore canine domestication, from paleolithic trash heaps to Russian fox farms.

Speaker 2: Nic Ulm
Getting Wet with Big Wave Energy
Have you ever wondered how we could harness the raw energy of the ebb and flow? Well join me in exploring how that wet pulse of big wave energy can help us explore deep into our oceans for longer than ever before.

Speaker 3: Valentina Alvarez
Plastic in Paradise
Wind patterns and ocean currents combined with Hawaii’s location in the North Pacific Gyre leaves the archipelago exposed to the persistent impact of marine debris. As most of this marine debris originates from other parts of the world, it’s important for us to understand the dynamics of this system so we can do our part to preserve our precious ecosystem and everything that makes Hawaii, Hawaii. In this talk, I will discuss the dangers of plastics, the factors that make Hawaii vulnerable, and what we can do as individuals to act locally yet have a global impact.